Reuben Droughns...

[Angry Pope]

These guys (Scout) are speculating but might as well post it....

There is no question that Reuben Droughns is a terrific National Football League player. He runs hard. He plays hard. He gives it all he’s got. Popular with the media. Pretty much the entire package.

But the Browns running back has a propensity for getting into trouble. Some people suggest trouble finds him rather than the other way around.

The latest skirmish Droughns has had with the law involves an incident with his wife at his offseason home in the Denver area. That follows closely with his acquittal in a DUI case.

Now I don’t know the particulars in the latest incident. I can go only by what the police report says. And it says Droughns did some mighty nasty things to his wife. Pushed her around. Literally threw her out of their house.

Police reports don’t lie. They are to be taken seriously.

Hours after Droughns turned himself in to police, his wife reportedly sought to drop the charges against her husband. That has yet to be resolved, but it certainly makes one wonder why she would recant.

Now what Droughns does with his off-the-field life is his business unless it’s against the law. And this appears to be just that.

But you can bet the NFL is looking long and hard into this latest matter. The league’s personal behavior policy is set up to punish those who do not comport themselves in a civil manner off the field. If Droughns isn’t in the league’s crosshairs, I’d be surprised.

I don’t care if he rushes for 1,000 yards a season for the next 10 years, Droughns has now had two brushes with the law. That’s strike two in my book, regardless of how the latest case turns out.

A rush to judgment? Perhaps.

But I’m from the where-there’s-smoke-there’s-fire crowd. If it happens once, fine. But now that it’s happened a second time, that’s a pattern. And this kind of pattern usually leads to something that’s no good. A forest fire would be next.

If what Droughns does off the field is in any way a reflection of the club, then I don’t want any part of him. All of which leaves Savage with a dilemma.

After cleaning up the mess that Butch Davis left, Savage is now faced with a two-time miscreant in Droughns, his best running back.

Does he keep Droughns on the roster and hope strike three never arrives? Or stick to his principles of having a roster full of good guys and deal Droughns and his new contract to another team?

Coming off a second straight 1,200-yard season, Droughns’ stock is as high as it probably will ever be. Savage can take advantage because there is always a team out there that doesn’t care what a player does off the field. The Oakland Raiders?

It says here that Droughns would be better off wearing another team’s colors. Silver and Black? And the sooner, the better. No sense in tempting fate.

 

[Seraph24]

Why every guy who gets into trouble is linked to us. his contract isnt worth it. Anyways who do the browns have to replace him?

 

[Angry Pope]

I don't know who the Browns have to replace him. It is funny though that of the twenty or more incidents of spousal abuse, road rage, bar fights, DUI's and assaults by NFL players recently, none of them involved our Raiders. These media people need to learn a different song.

 

[Seraph24]

hmmm woodson did get all pissy about getting out that girls car~lol~...But yea for the most part the raiders players stay out of trouble. Being a raider isnt about the freedom to be stupid. Its about the freedom to be yourself on the field. And play with a chip on your shoulder for all the silly jedi's who let you join the Darkside Siths in Oakland. from rich gannon to bill romonowski, from george blanda to to Randy Moss, from charlie garner to rod woodson. Its all about believing in the guys who still have a heart for the game in spite of what their former teams think. Silver and Black forever.

 

[Crossbones]

It's interesting isn't it? For all the bad press the Raiders get about being renegades etc., all that has been lost somewhat in the Raiders storied past.

For the most part we're just a bunch of nice guys now trying to win more than 5 games in a season.

And Seraph24 welcome to the site!

 

[Seraph24]

we were never trouble makers off the field. unless it was right after the game.
i do want some swagger back though. i think young guys like Huff and mountain man sweigert will bring that. I think bing could have a nasty streak in him too. in our nickel sets he could come in and give a lil' jack tatum to WR's coming over the middle .

 

[Crossbones]

Frankly I'm a little tired of hearing about how Gallery and Grove have this "nasty streak" in them. So far I haven't seen any sign of that at all.

But yes, it's time to get some attitude back on the field.

 

[Seraph24]

wisniewski where are you? we need your tutoring on how to sneak a punch to the throat in. Your driving guys into the dirt way after the whistle blows technique would also be helpful.

 

[Crossbones]

Dirty? Renegades?

Wisniewski!!!! Reminds me of Ric Flair -- the dirtiest player in the game!

You know, you're right, Seraph24 the Raiders were really never all that bad off the field. You can’t count a little bar hopping as being bad guys although the media wrote it as such. The day before the Super Bowl in New Orleans comes to mind along with some of the escapades of the Snake & Company in Santa Rosa during training camp.

tTe bad guy image really came on the field in the form of George Atkinson and Jack Tatum. Plus there was the idea that the Raiders attracted renegades such as the Tooz and Alzado. But in reality that only worked a few times.

I like Michael Huff and think he may be just what the doctor ordered in our secondary to being back that Raiders swagger. Let's hope so.

 

[Angry Pope]

Welcome to the site Seraph24.

In my opinion, Charles Woodson and Marques Anderson situation was that they were drunk, didn't get behind the wheel of a car, and wanted some lady they were partying with to take them some place else. She didn't want to put up with drunk guys so she did what she did.

There are a lot of police incidents that are happening now in the form I mentioned. Our team has been like altar boys compared to those.

For me, Schweigert doesn't strike me as a player to instill swagger. I posted a picture and title of Sam Williams in college. After he knocked a player on his ass for crossing the middle, he said something to the effect "not in my house". If Sam stays healthy, I think he would be one to show some swagger. Another guy would be Thomas Howard, Kirk Morrison, Tommy Kelly, and Huff. One other guy that I think has it in him is Stanford Routt.

I agree with Bones regarding our players of yesteryear. They partied with themselves.

In journalism, these guys are supposed to be unbiased....their not. So I put all of these guys in a literary prison with the possibility of parole should they prove not to be a danger to our nation.

 

[Crossbones]

Great post AP...

I'm so hoping Sam Williams can stay healthy. He showed great promise at the end of 2004 and then immediately got hurt last year. Damn it. I like his attitude.

I think Huff would be the guy to return the swagger to our secondary. I also don't see Schweigert as a bad ass but still think he might turn into a player if he continues to develop. If not -- NEXT!

 

[Angry Pope]

Here are some more RBs that may be available...I didn't have time today to check on their contracts ....

Another Titan tradeoff?

By John Murphy
June 9, 2006


Having drafted LenDale White and re-signed Travis Henry, Tennessee Titans general manager Floyd Reese may trade first-string running back Chris Brown – or allow him to seek a deal with teams in need of backs with starting experience – according to a source close to Brown.

Brown is in his last year of his contract, so any trade could require that the new team come to an agreement on a new, long-term deal. Reese has not given Brown permission to pursue trades, but Brown would be an excellent target for teams looking for an experienced back, such as the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans.

A league source said that the Broncos have been associated with another veteran running back – T.J. Duckett of the Atlanta Falcons – as part of a potential three-team trade. The deal would also send Broncos wide receiver Ashley Lelie to the New England Patriots, while Denver would receive Patriots tight end Daniel Graham and Duckett. The Falcons would receive undisclosed draft choices from both teams.

Both Denver and Houston will run offensive schemes that could entice a runner like Brown, who is a straight-head guy with the ability to make one cut and go.

In his three NFL seasons, Brown has averaged 4.3 yards per carry on 500 career attempts, including a career-high 1,067 yards and 4.9 average in 2004. He also had success against his only AFC West foe last season, gaining 97 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries against the Oakland Raiders, while also rushing for 267 yards in five career contests against the Texans.


After finishing 4-12 in 2005, the Titans could use significant assistance elsewhere on the roster. Given that offensive coordinator Norm Chow is very familiar with White from their days at USC – and given that Henry is capable of providing an adequate backup at the position if he can stay out of trouble – it might make sense for Tennessee to trade Brown to increase its depth and skill level at another position, and/or possibly supplement its 2007 draft picks.

Brown was drafted in the third round of the 2003 NFL draft. Last year, he finished with 851 rushing yards on a Titans team that struggled to run the ball and often found itself trailing early in games and abandoning the running attack.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Chicago native played his college ball at Colorado, where he led the nation in rushing during his senior year. He has missed some time in the NFL due to a variety of minor injuries, including turf toe, but he reported to the Tennessee's first minicamp at 100 percent. Brown is regarded in league circles as a high-upside back that could thrive in a system that uses his size and speed in a more run-oriented offense.

 

[Crossbones]

Many Raider fans would have preferred Travis Henry to LaMont Jordan.

Hey who knows.